SPEA V275
Introduction to Emergency Management
2
nd8 Weeks, Fall, 2010
Class Meets: 7:00-9:30 pm, Monday & Tuesday, SPEA PV276 Contact Information: Debra Schneck, Instructor
Email: [email protected] Office hours: By appointment
Course Description: This course provides an overview of the principles and practices of emergency management at the local, state, national and international levels; discusses intergovernmental and intragovernmental relationships important to emergency operations; provides an overview of the US emergency management system, including related laws,
policies, and programs; presents the concepts of preparedness, mitigation, response and recovery; and, provides students with the resources necessary to critically assess research, media reports, popular culture, and political rhetoric related to disasters. This course will discuss best practices and proper methodologies for emergency managers as well as ways that students can develop skills and capabilities important to future employers as they seek individuals in this rapidly expanding and multi-faceted professional arena. It will include some lecture, class discussion, reading assignments, internet-based assignments, and video presentations.
Course Goals & Objectives: The course will provide you with a foundational knowledge of emergency (government) management that can be applied academically, professionally, or as a basis for an individual volunteer experience.
This course will help you to:
Be conversant in the language of emergency management;
Understand and remember the basic principles of emergency preparedness and response; Understand others in terms of roles, relationships, and processes involved in emergency
management, preparedness, and response;
Understand how the processes and profession of emergency management fits within a public (government) management framework (e.g., federal, state, local, nonprofit, NGO, volunteer); Apply knowledge gained toward the evaluation of emergency actions, behavior, and outcomes; Understand personal and social implications of emergency preparedness and response;
Discover what can be accomplished (professionally and academically) with the knowledge gained, and how the information can be used in local communities;
Provide an introduction to the disaster management collegiate network, and discover how additional emergency and disaster management information can be accessed.
Required Text: Haddow, Bullock & Coppola, 2010, Introduction to Emergency Management, 4th Edition.
Additional readings are indicated in this syllabus in the Class Schedule, and pdf copies will be placed on OnCourse under “Resources”.
Class Format: Class will primarily be comprised of lecture and discussion, with some guest speakers and additional activities woven into the program. Time will go fast, and there is much to accomplish, so it is imperative that you complete all readings before you come to class so that we may have a productive discussion.
Assignments: In addition to the readings and some in-class activities, students must complete the following assignments:
1. EP in the News. Beginning November 15th, each individual, on a day of their choosing, will bring in an article (magazine, internet, newspaper) on some aspect of emergency management; present it to the class; and support class discussion of the issue or event described in the article (~10 mins.).
2. Individual Summaries of Readings. Students will prepare a 1-2 pp. summary of three readings over three classes, along with three questions, and submit the “summary” by email to me no later than 7 am the morning of the class meeting. Summaries and questions (and their authors) will be used to focus the direction of the class discussion. 3. Case Summary. Students will prepare one Case Summary, 5-8 pp. (double-spaced) in
length, over the course of the semester. Written details associated with the case summary will be shared in class.
4. FEMA Online Lessons. Students will be expected to complete two FEMA online lessons/courses: IS-230, Principles of Emergency Management and IS-22, Citizen Preparedness. If a third is completed, you may apply up to 50 pts. to your overall class score as an extra credit assignment. Details associated with the completion of this online experience will be shared in class.
5. Two Tests. There will be two tests: one approximately midway in the course, the second during Finals Week. The second exam will not be cumulative, but will be on material presented after the first exam.
Grade Distribution: Based on a 800-point scale, as follows.
Tests (2) … …150 each 300 pts
Case Summary … …100 100 pts
Results from FEMA online work (2) … …75 each 150 pts
Reading Summaries (3) … …50 each 150 pts
Class Attendance & Participation, incl EP in the News …100 100 pts
Using this point system, grades will be assigned using the following breakdown: A+ 784 – 800 points A 736 – 783 points A- 720 – 735 points B+ 704 – 719 points B 656 – 703 points B- 640 – 655 points C+ 624 – 639 points C 576 – 623 points C- 560 – 575 points D 480 – 559 points F Below 479 points
Paper Writing Guidelines: All papers are to be written in 12pt font, with one-inch margins. Papers are to be double-spaced and singled-sided. I encourage you to write in clear academic prose, using the following general guidelines:
You should avoid passive sentences and awkward sentence construction, for example, “The issue was avoided by the school principle.” A better sentence is: “The school principle avoided the issue.”
Avoid dangling participles, overly complex sentences, making verbs into nouns, switching verb tenses, subjects separated from verbs, and poor grammar, in general. If you do not know the meaning of a word, look it up or don’t use it.
Your papers should talk about concrete people and actions. Avoid abstract generalities and vague words.
Paragraphs should have thesis sentences or sentences that summarize the paragraph’s main point.
Papers should have a thesis paragraph that explains what the paper is about and why it is important. The thesis paragraph should appear early in the paper, present your argument and hint at the evidence you will use to make your point.
Length is not a virtue. Good writing can be short or long. Don’t write a lot of words just because you feel it is necessary. Write because you have something to say.
Avoid overly long introductions and conclusions. They are often wasteful and add nothing to your argument or description.
Provide evidence for your statements, and cite your sources.
You should consult The Chicago Manual of Style, The Craft of Research by Booth, Colomb and Williams, and Howard Becker’s Writing for Social Scientists. These books all give excellent advice on how to write essays, books and research articles. If you have a specific question, feel free to ask.
Course Policies:
Cheating: If you copy an answer from another student for a written or computerized lesson or exam, you will automatically receive an F for the course. This is not negotiable.
Plagiarism: If you use the work of another person, you must cite them properly with a footnote, end note or quotation. Submitting the work of another as your own is
intellectually dishonest and will be punished with an F for the course.
Attendance: Class attendance and participation are important in this class. Information will be addressed and discussed in class that does not appear in the readings. If you need to be absent due to weather conditions, illness, or family emergency, though, that is fine with me, just get class notes from one of the other students. Also, email me and I can send you any information (assignments/due dates) not covered in this syllabus. You are adults and ultimately are still responsible for getting the information from the class you miss.
Return of Papers & Exams: I shall return all papers and exams in class, except for the final test. I keep all papers and exams from a course for one year then I throw them away. If you want your final test returned, we can make arrangements, and I shall be happy to give it back to you.
Cell phones: At the beginning of class, turn your cell phone or set it to vibrate.
The information presented in this syllabus, including the Schedule, is subject to change. Any changes will be announced and discussed in class.
Schedule for Readings and Other Select Activities:
Note: In addition to the required text, there are additional required, as well as recommended, readings.
These readings are available online through OnCourse. Go to oncourse.iu.edu; log in; go to V275; and, click on “Resources.”
History of Emergency Management in the U.S.
October 25, 2010
Welcome! Setting the stage…. Read: Haddow et al., Chapter 1
Types of Hazards: Natural, Technological, and Malevolent Acts
October 27, 2010 – Natural Hazards
Read: Haddow et al., Chapter 2 & Katrina: A Case Study
Recommended: Howitt & Leonard, Katrina Case Study (located on OnCourse) November 1, 2010 – Technological Hazards
Read: BP Oil Spill Case File (located on OnCourse) November 3, 2010 – Malevolent Acts
Recommended: Howitt & Leonard, Pentagon 9/11 Case Study; Oklahoma City Bombing Case (both located on OnCourse)
Planning Participants & Response Roles
November 8, 2010 – Citizens, Volunteers, Nonprofit & For-Profit Organizations Read: Tierney, pp. 123-155 (located on OnCourse)
** Complete FEMA Online Course, IS-22, Citizen Preparedness **
November 10, 2010 – Local, State, Federal Responsibilities, Regional Organizations, Networks Read: McEntire, David A. and Gregg Dawson, “The Intergovernmental Context,” and Patton, Ann, “Collaborative Emergency Management,” Emergency Management: Principles and Practice
for Local Government, 2nd Edition, 2007 (located on OnCourse)
Communications
November 15, 2010 – Alert & Notification, Communicating Risk, Media Relations Read: Haddow et al., Chapter 7
Recommended: Tierney, et al., “Metaphors Matter: Disaster Myths, Media Frames, and Their Consequences in Hurricane Katrina,” The ANNALS of the American Academy of Political and
Social Science, 604(1), March, 2006, pp. 57-81 (located on OnCourse)
** Case Summary Due ** November 17, 2010 – Test #1
Planning Stages for an Emergency
November 22, 2010 – Mitigation & Risk Assessment Read: Haddow et al., Chapter 3
November 24, 2010 – No Class/Thanksgiving November 29, 2010 – Preparedness
Read: Haddow et al., Chapter 6 December 1, 2010 – Response
Read: Haddow et al., Chapters 4
December 6, 2010 – Recovery
Read: Haddow et al., Chapter 5
The Future & The Profession
December 8, 2010 – The Future
Read: Haddow et al., Chapters 8 & 10
